This invention relates generally to scraper tools, and more particularly to scraper tools used to remove and recover paint from the interengaging annular grooves and lips of paint can rims and lids.
Liquids such as paint are commonly packaged in resealable metal cans. Such cans typically have a groove around their top rim which is designed to receive the downward-protuding lip or bead of a mating lid. When the lid is forced down on the rim of the can, the interengaging lip and groove mate to form an airtight seal.
It should be here understood that while reference is made, as a matter of convenience, to paint cans, the tool of the present invention is equally useful with cans containing a great variety of liquid and viscous products, such as tars, resins, adhesives, sealers and epoxies.
When a paint can is opened, the interengaging lip and groove portions of the lid and can rim often become coated with paint. If these paint-coated lip and groove portions are not cleaned after each use, they may no longer interengage to form an airtight seal. If an airtight seal is not provided, the paint will soon harden and become useless. An improperly sealed can may also leak, wasting paint and necessitating costly cleanup. Some canned products also have toxic fumes that, if not properly contained, may be hazardous.
The reopening of paint cans is also facilitated by having clean interengaging grooves and lips. If the grooves and lips are coated with paint when the can is sealed, the paint left between the groove and lip will eventually dry and act to glue the lid to the can.
To promote proper sealing of paint cans, painters sometimes use a rag to clean paint from the mating lip and groove portions of the paint can rim and lid. This method is ineffective for removal of hardened paint. Furthermore, this method can be messy, and the paint so removed is discarded with the rag.
Other painters use a paintbrush to remove paint from paint can rims and lids. This method is again ineffective for removal of hardened paint. This method also often results in wet paint overflowing the rim and dripping down the sides of the can. The recovered paint may, however, be applied to the surface being painted.
Both the rag and paintbrush methods are generally unsuitable for recovering paint that clings to the underside of a paint can rim. To use a paintbrush for this purpose would necessitate holding the paintbrush, inverted, inside the can. The painter would likely get the knuckles of his hand and the handle of the brush covered with paint. The rag method suffers from a similar drawback and does not permit the recovered paint to be applied to the painted surface.
Accordingly, a need remains for a better tool to remove paint from the rim and lid of a paint can.